Hammer for pianos and similar instruments



A. E. N LAWRANCE. HAMMER FOR PIANOS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 00116. 19I9.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920:

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HAMMER FOR PIANOS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

Application filed October 16, 1919. Serial No. 331,239.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, A'rHoL ERNEST NEVILLE LAWRANOE, a subject of His Majesty the King of England, residing at Loop street, Rustenburg, in the Transvaal Province of the Union of South-Africa, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammers for Pianos and Similar Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to an improved hammer or striker for pianos and similar instruments. 7

Such hammers or strikers, at present in general use, consist of rigid V-shaped or pointed wooden appliances pivotally fixed to a frame opposite the strings of the instrument they are designed to strike. The face of the striker is covered with a soft pliable medium, usually felt, to modify the blow upon the string, and to soften the resultant sound produced thereby. It can be well understood, that in the course of time constant use invariably tends to deprive the felt of its pliability, which consequently becomes harder and harder through continuous compression caused by the constant hammering of the felt against the strings, until eventu' ally it becomes almost as hard and incom pressible as the wooden face it covers.

lVhen this condition has been reached in the life of a piano, mellow tones cannot be produced therein and the tone of the piano becomes harsh and unpleasant to the ear. The mellowness and richness of tone is thus a variable dependent upon the condition of the felt covering the faces of the hammers or strikers.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved hammer or striker, whereby this drawback is obviated, and the original tone of the instrument is permanently retained.

This invention consists in a hammer or striker for use in pianos or similar instruments, characterized. in that a cushion of felt or the like which constitutes the striker portion is connected to its supporting base by means of a yielding'element, preferably of metal whereby the striker or hammer remains effective over a long period and varia-.

tion in the condition of the hammer with use is avoided.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example. one way of carrying the invention into efiect.

Figure 1, is a side view of a complete hammer head,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of the hammer head.

Fig. 3 is a developed view of the metal spring.

Figs. i, 5, and 6 indicate on a small scale modified shapes of spring which may be used. 4

Fig. '7 and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a double split pin, whose use will be hereinafter de scribed.

The hammer shank or rod a is pivoted in the usual manner on the frame of the instrument and carries a block Z) which is preferably of wood and to this block the metal spring 6 which is preferably fiat, is attached. Through this block from top to bottom two holes 0 and (Z are bored to receive bolts, 1. Along the axis of the flat spring 6 and symmetrically about the center thereof, six holes f, g and h are bored. The holes f and g are near the end of the spring and are spaced so as to correspond with the holes 0 and (Z. One of the bolts 1 passes through the block Z) by the hole 0 and the holes f of the spring 6 while the other bolt 1 passes through the holed of the block Z) and the holes 9 of the spring 6. The bolts are held by nuts 79 and suitable washers m are used. To prevent the parts from working loose the washers m may be of the split variety and split pins to may be passed through holes in the bolts 1.

The outer end of the loop which is constituted by the center portion of the spring 6 is the end adapted to strike the string and is therefore covered with a cushion j of felt or other suitable material, which cushion j is preferably of crescent shape. This cushion is attached to the spring by any suitable means, such as split pins 70 whose ends are bent outwardly after passing through the cushion 7' and the holes h of the spring. Instead of the holes /L, in the spring 6 two holes in close proximity may be used in which case the double split pins as shown in F 8 are used.

For higher notes, it is desirable to employ less resilient hammers, or the hammer above described may be progressively modified to suit change of pitch by modifying the shape of the metal loop as shown on a small scale in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, so as to alter the curvais a side elevation of a split pin,

ture of the striking surface whereby the force of the blow is increased. This variation-may also 'be effected by altering the length or its temper with or without altering the curve. The shape of the spring may also be altered by varying the depth of ,the

7 block J).

If desired, thefelt or other suitable mateshank, a block connected to the upper end ably thereof, a spring formed from a single strip of metal bent into a. loop shape and having its end portions rigidly secured to one end portion of the block so that the side portions will be free to yield from the intermediate portion to the point of attachment of the end portions, and a cushion detachsecured to the outer surface of the V curved intermediate portion of the spring.

2. A hammer for pianos as claimed in claim 1 wherein the intermed ate POIlilOIl'OiE the spring is provided with spaced-openings,

and split pins mounted through the ends of the cushion and passed through the openings in'the spring and serving'to detachably'secure the cushion to the spring. r

3. A hammer for 'PltlIlOS comprising a shank, a bloelrconnected to the inner end thereof and provided with longitudinally spaced transverse openings in one end portion, a spring formed from a strip of metal arranged in a loop-shape and provided at its end portions with opposed pairs of openings, a pair of fasteningfdevicesi engaging the openings in the spring and the block for clamping the endportions of the spring on opposite sides of one end portion of the block so as to permit the'intermediate and side portions of the spring to yield, a cres cent shaped cushion of felt arranged on the curved outer surface of the spring, and

means associated With theends of the cushionfor detachably securing the cushion to the spring; 7 j In testimony whereof I affix my signaturel M1101, ERNEST NEVILLE LAWRANGE. 

